


Can I buy you a book?

by exalteddean



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - College/University, Castiel & Charlie Bradbury Friendship, Drabble, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Human Castiel, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining Castiel, Pining Dean, Student Castiel, Student Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 13:45:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4351088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exalteddean/pseuds/exalteddean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You know how people buy drinks for people in bars? Why can't people do that in bookstores? Like if I'm looking at a novel in Barnes and Noble and some person walks up to me and strikes up a conversation and offers to buy the book for me there is a lot better chance of that working out in their favor."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Can I buy you a book?

Castiel was painfully single. Not that that was a bad thing; he doesn’t necessarily _need_ a boyfriend. But it would be nice to be noticed by someone. The life of a 23 year old grad student could get a bit lonely. Particularly at times like this, when he was sitting in a squashy armchair near the back of the used bookstore, listening to his best friend Charlie gush about how she met her perfect girlfriend. He was happy for her, really. They were a cute couple and he had never seen Charlie smile this much.

Charlie chose this moment to lean forward and grab his arm. “Cas, you would not even believe how easily I fell for that line! ‘Can I buy you a drink?’ I mean seriously! I don’t know how that worked on me, but next thing I knew we were going back to her place…”

She trailed off at the look on Castiel’s face. “Aw honey, you’ll find someone too! It’s just a matter of time; nobody can ignore those big baby blues of yours. Maybe you could come to the Roadhouse tonight with me and Dorothy and we could set you up?”

Castiel sighed. “I don’t think picking up someone at a bar is really my thing. Plus I’d never get up the courage to casually walk up to someone drinking alone at a bar and ask to buy them a drink.” He shuddered just thinking about it.

“Yeah, it can be intimidating,” Charlie agreed. “I guess the ideal situation would include someone coming up to you and asking to buy _you_ a drink.”

“Why does it have to be drinks at all? Why can’t it be, I don’t know,” he gestured wildly around them, “books or something?”

Charlie snorted. “Yeah, okay, good luck with that.”

“Seriously! I’m not much into drinking, but I’m in here at least once a week buying new books. Wouldn’t you want to buy someone something that they’d actually appreciate? And wouldn’t it be better to not have to get someone drunk before they’ll talk to you?”

“I like the way you think, but alas,” Charlie sighed dramatically, “we do not live in a romance novel.”

Castiel rolled his eyes at her and turned back to his John Milton anthology.

“Excuse me.”

Castiel glanced up and had to remind himself to breathe when he realized who was talking to him. He cleared his throat. “Um. Yes?”

“You’re Castiel, right?”

 _Dean Winchester knows my name!_ “Yes.”

“I’m Dean, we had a class together last semester?”

“Yes, Dean, I remember you.” How could Cas forget the three hours a week he used to spend staring longingly at the back of Dean’s perfect head? They hadn’t spoken much to each other beyond asking to borrow a pen or class notes; Cas was afraid of getting to know him in case he turned out to be as beautiful on the inside as he appeared outside. Castiel didn’t want to risk developing a devastating crush on a classmate who was clearly out of his league.

“Oh! Good. Wasn’t sure for a second there.” He smiled then, bright green eyes crinkling at the corners in an adorable way that made Cas want to punch something. Dean looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. “I was wondering if you could help me find a book? I see you in here sometimes, I figured you know the place pretty well.” He let out a small chuckle. He almost appeared nervous, but Cas knew that couldn’t be it.

“Sure, no problem.” Castiel set down his books on the table next to Charlie, gave her a small smile, and stood up next to Dean. “What are you looking for?”

“Paradise Lost.”

“Oh! For Singer’s class?” Cas started leading Dean through the bookshelves. “I got my copy today, too.”

“Oh?” Dean’s voice cracked a little. “Did you…have you checked it out yet?”

“No, I just skimmed the first few pages. I think it’s going to be pretty interesting.”

“So you haven’t, um, paid for it?”

Well that was kind of a weird question. “No. Why?”

Dean paused and fidgeted with the hem of his plaid shirt. “Well, maybe I could…buy it for you?”

Castiel all but froze, heart rate picking up. “What?”

“Yeah,” Dean continued, speaking very quickly, “I’ve kind of been wanting to ask you out for a while, and trying to find stupid reasons to talk to you, and I swear I’m not a stalker or anything and I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard you talking to your friend and at first I thought I was being all clever but now I feel like an idiot and I don’t even know if you’re interested and—”

“Dean!” Castiel grabbed Dean’s hand looked him in the eyes, feeling a lot more bold than he ever thought he would around this gorgeous boy. Nerves gone after confirmation that Dean was actually interested in him, wanted to take _him_ out, he grinned and leaned in close. “How about I buy _you_ a book?”

Dean bit his lip, gave a small smile, and nodded.

Castiel’s grin widened in return. He took the tome off the shelf and, still holding Dean’s hand, walked him to the register. Cas paid for the book and handed it to Dean, but not before scribbling his name and phone number on the first page.

Dean took the book and tucked it under his arm as he leaned in to give Cas a chaste peck on the lips. “See you ‘round, Cas.”

“Sounds good, Dean.” Castiel watched Dean walk out the door and pull his phone out on the way to his car. As he turned to go back to his table and Charlie, his own phone buzzed.

 

Text Message Received (1): Unknown Number: **Dinner tonight? –Dean**

Text Message Sent to **Dean** : _Can’t wait._

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr! [exalteddean.tumblr.com](http://exalteddean.tumblr.com)
> 
>  
> 
> [Reblog this story from my original tumblr post here!](http://exalteddean.tumblr.com/post/124198545567/)


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